Shade umbrella



0. R. MEYER SHADE UMBRELLA Nov. 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 24,l965 IN VFN TOR. 61424 e /l/ye 477'0Z/VE74 C. R. MEYER SHADE UMBRELLANov. 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 24, 1965 INVENTOR. MFVEZ M 4,

United States Patent 3,285,203 SHADE UMBRELLA Carl R. Meyer, 2512 E.Vine St., West Covina, Calif. Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,304 6Ciaims. (Cl. 108-50) This invention relates to umbrellas andparticularly to umbrellas of the type used for shade control purposes.

In general, umbrellas of this type are enlarged versions of theconventional folding type umbrella customarily carried by the individualto protect his person in adverse weather. Being larger and hencesomewhat sturdier in construction, these prior art shade umbrellasnevertheless fail structurally if not retracted or removed before thefull force of even a moderate Windstorm is felt. This undesirablefeature is overcome in shade umbrellas utilizing a rigid canopy of thetype described in the present invention.

In some of the foldable type prior art shade umbrellas, the upstandingstaff or support member is equipped with cranks, cables and pivotpoints, their purpose being to allow the owner to incline the canopy asdesired depending on the position of the sun. In general, theseadjustable features are obtainable only at the expense of a complicatedmechanism which, over time as a result of being exposed constantly tothe elements, corrodes and becomes difiicult if not impossible tooperate. In addition, this desired feature of adjustability is likewisenot immune to structural failure especially during relatively highwinds.

In the present invention, however, the rigid canopy can be positioned atany of an infinite number of angles within a predetermined range and, atthe same time, at any desired point of the compass. A lockingarrangement prevents breakup, even from high Winds if perchance leftunlocked, while permitting swift changes from one secured or lockedposition to another, as desired. The upstanding staff is also suitablyanchored to prevent rotation in any case.

A shade umbrella constructed in accordance with the invention isparticularly suitable for novel applications such as for example,in-the-pool shading, especially in pools having special configurationssuch as a semi-circularly, love-seat shaped periphery at the shallowend. In such a pool, the pool steps may double as seats extending arounda table-like cantilever shelf supported by the upstanding staff of theshade umbrella. Such an application requires a shade umbrella which issturdy and not susceptible to excessive corrosion and storm damage.

According to the invention there is provided in an umbrella of the typeuse-d for shade control purposes, the combination comprising supportmeans including a staff having first and second opened ends, anchormeans attached to the earth and including a sleeve for receiving thefirst opened end and to hold the staff in upright configuration, framemeans including a circular canopy of fiber glass material for shading apredetermined area, the frame means including a downwardly extendingpost disposed at a predetermined angle relative to the underside of thecanopy, connecting means for mounting the frame means to the supportmeans in rotatable disposition, the connecting means including a curvedmember having an opened end to receive the post and an extension at theother end, the extension being receivable in the second opened end ofthe staff, and lock means associated with the staff near the firstopened end and with the curved member near the opened end, the lockmeans being engageable in correspondingly force transmittingrelationship with the extension and with the post to re- 3,285,203Patented Nov. 15, 1966 "ice strain relative movement between the supportmeans, the connecting means, and the frame means.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improvedshading umbrella having a rigid canopy that may be readily positionedand locked in any direction and at various angles for efiicient shadecontrol purposes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a locking arrangementthat prevents breakup under storm conditions even if left in anunlocked, rotatable state.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a shade umbrellaof the type described which is free standing without requiringconventional table-like base structure.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a shade umbrella ofthe type described wherein the moving parts are not susceptible to thecorrosive effects of the elements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a strong, durableshade umbrella particularly suitable for novel in-the-pool constructioninstallations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear and be broughtout more fully in the following specification reference being had to theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a shade umbrella according to theinvention shown with a conventional patio table adapted to receive theupstanding staff or support member;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged exploded view of the umbrella of FIGURE 1, shownanchored to the earth;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the umbrella of FIGURE 2shown in assembled disposition;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the upper. portion of theumbrella according to the invention showing in dotted delineation therange of adjustable positions obtainable for shade control purposes; and

FIGURE 5 is a partial vertical cross sectional view of an alternativearrangement for attaching the canopy in adjustable support relationshipwith the upstanding staff or support member.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG- URE 1 there isshown a shade umbrella 10 constructed in accordance with the inventioncomprising anchor means 12, support means 14 and frame means 16.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 1, the anchor means 12 includes aconventional table-like structure 18 having a planar surface 20 and aplurality of leg members 22 extending downwardly from the bottom side ofthe surface 20. An opening 24 is centrally disposed in the surface 20 toreceive the support means 14 of the umbrella 10. A sleeve, not shown,may be provided below the opening 24 and in contact relationship at itslower end with the leg members 22 to hold the sleeve, and hence theumbrella 10, in proper upright position when the support means 14 isdisposed in the structure 18.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the support means 14 includes anelongated tubular member or staff 26 and the relatively short curvedconnecting means or coupling 28. In the preferred embodiment, both thestaff 26 and the coupling 28 are formed from the same tubular nonferrousstock having a wall thickness sufiicient to withstand lateral forces inexcess of that which might occur during severe Windstorms and the like.

At the lower end of the staff 26 there is provided a slot 30 whichextends through each side wall of the staff 26 at a predetermined angle0 construction along a first portion 32, reference FIGURE -2, and hencealong a second portion 34 at right angles relative to the center line 36of the staff 26. The upper end of the staff 26 includes diametricallyopposite threaded openings 38 and 40 for purposes to be described.

The axes extending through the two ends of the coupling 28 intersect ata predetermined angle construction which angle, for reasons set forthbelow, is preferably 22 /2 degrees. If desired, a different value may beused for the angle 5.

A cylindrical bar 42 of predetermined length is pressed partially intoone end of coupling 28 to form a shaftlike extension 44. A continuousrecessed groove 46 is machined on the extension 44 near its outer end.The groove 46 is suitably positioned on the extension 44 so that thethreaded openings 38 and 40 are in alignment with the groove 46 when theextension 44 inserted into the upper end of the staff 26.

- A conventional cap screw 48 is provided for the threaded opening 38,the length of the cap screw 48 being sufiicient only to enter the groove46. A lock washer 50 may be used to prevent the cap screw 48 fromworking loose from the staff 26. This permits the coupling 28 to rotateabout the extension 44 while still preventing separation of the coupling28 and the staff 26. To restrict rotation and to clamp the relativeposition of the coupling 28 to the staff 26, a conventional threadedlocknut 52 is provided for the threaded opening 40. The locknut 52 whenproperly installed not only enters the groove 46 'but is of suflicientlength to also engage the extension 44 in forced transmittingrelationship therewith.

Between the upper angular bearing surface of the staff 26 and the lowerangular bearing surface of the coupling 28 there may be provided awasher 54. A stainless steel washer or one made of Teflon would sufficeto prevent excessive wear While allowing free rotation when desired.

In FIGURES 2 and 3, there is shown a sleeve 56 having a cap 58 pressedover one end with a bolt or rod 60 extending to the sleeve 56 near thecapped end. The sleeve 56 may be anchored, for example, in a concretepad 55 which may form the bottom of a pool or the surface areasurrounding a pool or forming a patio and the like. By using the sleeve56, the umbrella may be disposed in a desired operative arrangementwithout resort to the tablelike structure 18 of FIGURE 1. The sleeve 56is preferably formed from plastic pipe although other ferrous andnonferrous materials may be used if desired. As for the unnumberedsleeve mentioned above in conjunction with FIGURE 1, such a sleeve maybe similar in all respects to the sleeve 56 except the cap 58 and therod 60 are not needed.

When the lower end of the staff 26 is inserted into the sleeve 56, thestaff 26 is rotated in either direction until the rod 60 falls intoalignment with the entrance of the slot 30. By now rotating the staff 26in that direction deter-mined by the angle 0 at which the slot 30 isdisposed, the staff 26 can now be lowered still further and the rod 60,relatively speaking, advanced along the first portion 32 of the slot 30until the second portion 34 is reached, at which time the staff 26 canbe rotated at a greater rate in the same direction until the rod 60comes in contact with the end of the slot 30. When installed in thismanner, the staff 26 is securely anchored in the sleeve 56 and hence tothe concrete pad 55 and can thereafter be removed only by reversing theprocedure described.

The frame means 16 of FIGURE 1 is shown in FIG- URES 2, 3, and 4 toinclude a rigid canopy 62, a post 64 extending downwardly from thebottom surface of the canopy 62, and a web-like structure 66 comprisinga plurality of spaced apart bars 68 extending radially from the post 66and welded thereto. The canopy 62 is laminated from fiber glassmaterial, is preferably circular in configuration with a downwardlycurved rim 70 for structural reasons, and preferably includes a raised,embossedlike design having radial needle-like fingers 72 of alternateand variable lengths, 72a and 72b, stemming slightly downwardly from anelevated center 74 towards the rim 70 for imparting additional strengthand rigidity to the canopy 62. The equally spaced apart bars 68 arewelded to the post 64 in a correspondingly similar manner, i.e.

the bars 68 stem slightly downwardly and radially outwardly alongcertain of the needle-like fingers 72.

The upper end of the post 64 is cut at an angle 4') relative to a planepassing orthogonally through the center line of the post 66. It is tothis upper end that the bars 68 are welded to form the web-likereinforcing structure 66, whu'ch is then permanently bonded byadditional laminations of fiber glass material suitably bonded by knownprocesses and techniques. This results in the rim 70 defining a planethat intersects an orthogonal plane, relative to the post 66, at anangle 0. It should be clear that the web-like structure 66 is bonded tothe canopy 62 at the bottom side thereof with the post 66 extendingdownwardly below the elevated center 74 and with the bars 68 disposed inthe valleys appearing along the bottom side corresponding to the raised,embossed-like fingers 72 appearing on the upper surface of the canopy62. The additional lamination mentioned above likewise cover and bondeach of the bars 68 resulting in the entire web-like structure 66 beingintegrally a part of the frame means 16.

The lower end of the post 64 includes a recessed groove 46a similar inevery way to the recessed groove 46. In addition, the coupling 28includes threaded openings 38a and 40a for receiving a cap screw 48a anda locknut 52a respectively. The operation and purpose of the cap screw48a and the locknut 52a is the same as that described above with regardto the cap screw 48 and the locknut 52 respectively.

If desired, the post 64 may be constructed in a manner similar to thelower end of the coupling 28, in which event, a washer similar to thewasher 54 may be provided for reasons previously described.

In FIGURE 4, the limits between which the canopy 62 may be positionedare shown. Consider first the relative position as shown in dotteddelineation as position A, which is that position in which the canopy 62may be viewed as parallel to the earth surface. By rotating the coupling28 relative to the staff 26 through 180 of arc and then rotating thepost 64 relative to the coupling 28 to a similar arc of 180, the bars58, and hence the canopy 62, will be inclined at an angle of 45 relativeto the earth surface, as shown in solid delineation and marked asposition B. By rotating either the coupling 28 or the post 64 in themanner just described, the canopy 62 will be positioned at an angleexactly one-half this amount or namely 22 /2 Positions intermediatepositions A and B can be readily achieved by locking and unolcking, asrequired, the locknuts 52 and 52a.

In the event the umbrella 10 is to be installed in a pool for poolsideshading as the application may require, it is preferred thatnoncorrosive ferrous material such as stainless steel be used for astaff 26a, reference FIGURE 5. For such applications, there is provideda reducing bushing 76 having an inside diameter slightly larger than theextensions 44 and an outside diameter slightly smaller than the insidediameter of the staff 2611. The reducing bushing 76 may also include anangular lip 78 against which the upper edge surface 80 of the staff 26amay rest. A locknut 52b and a cap screw 4812, both of appropriatelength, may be provided to achieve the purpose similarly obtained by thelocknut 52 and the cap screw 48 respectively. The washer 54 may also beused to minimize wear and provide free rotation of the coupling 28relative to the recessed bushing 76.

Thus there has been described a novel shade umbrella 10 having a rigidfiber glass canopy that can be rotatably positioned at any angle withina predetermined range and at all points of the compass. The uniqueblocking and fail-safe arrangement is provided, one in which the movingparts have a minimum exposure to corrosive action. This means that theshade umbrella of the invention can be used for novel in-the-poolconstruction application. It can also be used with or without theconventional tablelike supporting structures.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I haveconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of myinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent devices and methods.

I claim:

1. In an umbrella of the type used for shade control, the combinationcomprising,

a supporting stafl? of tubular configuration having first and secondopened ends; anchor means adapted to be attached to the earth andincluding a sleeve for receiving said first opened end to hold saidstaff in upright configuration;

frame means including a circular canopy of fiber glass material forshading a predetermined area, said frame means including a downwardlyextending post disposed at a predetermined angle relative to theunderside of said canopy, said post including a recessed annular groovedisposed near the outer end thereof;

connecting means for mounting said frame means to said support means inrotatable disposition, said connecting means having a curved memberhaving an open end to receive said post and an extension at the otherend, said extension being receivable in said second opened end of saidstaif and including a recessed annular groove disposed near the outerend thereof; and

lock means associated with said staff near said first opened end andwith said curved member near said open end, each said lock meansincluding a fastener threada'bly received in said staff and in saidcurved member, respectively, near the end thereof, said fasteners beingengageable with said grooves in said extension and said .post,respectively, in force transmitting relationship, so as to restrainrelative rotation of the associated pair of relatively rotatablemembers.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 further characterized inthat said frame means includes a reinforcing structure embedded in saidmaterials for distributing the forces imposed on said body andtransmitted to said support means through said post.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 2 fur- .ther characterizedin that said base means includes table means having a horizontal planarsurface, a plurality of leg members for supporting said surface, and anopening centrally disposed through said surface for receiving saidsleeve, each of said leg members coacting with the lower portion of saidsleeve in force transmitting relationship therewith.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 2 further characterized inthat said anchor means includes a laterally disposed rod extendingthrough said sleeve; and in that said first opened end of said staffincludes a slot extending along a predetermined line, said rod beingreceivably engaged in said slot as said staff is inserted in uprightdisposition into said sleeve to secure said support means in said anchormeans.

5. The combination in accordance with claim 4 further characterized inthat said sleeve is formed of noncorrosive plastic material and isdisposed downwardly from the bottom surface of a pool; in that saidstaff comprises a tubular member formed from non-corrosive ferrousmaterials and includes said slot for rigidly anchoring said staff insaid sleeve; and in that said connecting means further includes areducing bushing pressed into said tubular member at the upper endthereof, said bushing being adapted to supportedly receive the extensionof said curved member.

6. An umbrella for shade control comprising:

a vertical supporting stair adapted to be supported from the ground;

a position adjustment member extending vertically from and above theupper end of said supporting staff, having a bent longitudinal section,and extending above said bent section at a predetermined angle fromvertical;

first rotatable joint means fastening the lower end of said positionadjustment member to the upper end of said supporting stafr in rotatablerelationship therewith;

a canopy having a supporting post extending downwardly from the centerthereof at approximately said same predetermined angle fromperpendicular;

and second rotatable joint means fastening the upper end of saidposition adjustment member to the lower end of said supporting post inrotatable relationship therewith;

each of said rotatable joint means including a cylindrical outer member,a cylindrical inner member having an annular groove formed therein, afixed insert carried by said outer member and projecting into saidannular groove for preserving the relative longitudinal positions ofsaid members when angular adjustments are being made, a movable insertcarried by said outer member and projecting into said annular groove,and manually operable lock means provided on the exterior of said outermember for selectively disengaging and re-engaging said movable insertwith the bottom of said annular groove Whenever said position adjustmentmember is rotated to a new position relative to said supporting staff orsaid supporting post.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 473,016 4/ 1892Pattee 24838 1,736,177 11/ 1929 Shook 52-157 2,195,391 3/1940 Hunter248156 2,559,421 7/1951 Garrett 2483 8 2,799,543 7/ 1957 Tomaselli108-50 2,883,247 4/ 1959 Thompson 248156 FRANK B. SHERRY, PrimaryExaminer.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN AN UMBRELLA OF THE TYPE USED FOR SHADE CONTROL THE COMBINATIONCOMPRISING, A SUPPORTING STAFF OF TUBULAR CONFIGURATION HAVING FIRST ANDSECOND OPENED ENDS; ANCHOR MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO THE EARTH ANDINCLUDING A SLEEVE FOR RECEIVING SAID FIRST OPENED END TO HOLD SAIDSTAFF IN UPRIGHT CONFIGURATION; FRAME MEANS INCLUDING A CIRCULAR CANOPYOF FIBER GLASS MATERIAL FOR SHADING A PREDETERMINED AREA, SAID FRAMEMEANS INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING POST DISPOSED AT A PREDETERMINEDANGLE RELATIVE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID CANOPY, SAID POST INCLUDING ARECESSED ANNULAR GROOVE DISPOSED NEAR THE OUTER END THEREOF; CONNECTINGMEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID FRAME MEANS TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN ROTATABLEDISPOSITION, SAID CONNECTING MEANS HAVING A CURVED MEMBER HAVING AN OPENEND TO RECEIVE SAID POST AND AN EXTENSION AT THE OTHER END, SAIDEXTENSION BEING RECEIVABLE IN SAID SECOND OPENED END OF SAID STAFF ANDINCLUDING A RECESSED ANNULAR GROOVE DISPOSED NEAR THE OUTER END THEREOF;AND